Sliding door lock



y 1959 w. J. HOOFE in 2,886,961

SLIDING DOOR LOCK Filed Nov. 5, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 /V M (i 6 {3 J7 44 I INVENTOR 60 WJfiOOfe zZ ATTORNEYS May 19, 1959 w. J. HOOFE Ill 2,836,961

SLIDING DOOR LOCK Filed Nov. 5,1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W ATTORNEYS United States Patent This invention relates to a lock and more particularly relates to a lock for use on a sliding door.

In current building practice hinged doors are being replaced in many instances by sliding doors. In other cases, sliding doors are being used in place of curtains or other closure devices. In many such instances where sliding doors are used it is desirable to provide some type of latch or look, and the locks used on hinged doors are generally unsatisfactory for this purpose. As an example, modern homes often utilize sliding glass doors in aluminum'frames. Some type of latch is desirable, and yet the latches available heretofore have suffered from several disadvantages which generally render them unsuitable for this purpose.

In my copending application Serial No. 612,199, filed September 26, 1956, I disclosed an improved lock for sliding doors which utilizes a pair of buttons for actuating the lock. With the lock shown in that application the door is closed and a button is depressed in order to latch the door in the second position. When it is desired to open the door, a second button is depressed and the door may then be opened. While this lock has proven entirely satisfactory, I have now found that further convenience may be provided through the use of a lock actuatable by means of only a single button.

It is accordingly a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved single button lock for a sliding door.

It is another object of the invention to provide an improved lock for sliding doors which is simple and economical to manufacture and which is not susceptible to corrosion when used in humid and wet installations.

It is another object of the invention to provide a lock for sliding doors which may be locked in an unlatched position.

It is still a further object of the invention to provide a lock for a sliding door which automatically latches. upon closure of the door and which is unlatched by depressing a single button.

These and further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following specification and claims and to the drawings appended wherein:

Figure l is a vertical elevation of a lock constructed according to the present invention laying on one side in a channel member in a sliding door;

"ice a lock assembly 10 mounted within a channel member 12 which is preferably of aluminum or some other noncorrodible material. The channel 12 is utilized to secure the lock to a door, such as a glass sliding door shown in broken lines at 14 in Figure 5. The channel is provided with strips 16 and 18 which form a groove 20 to receive the glass panel 14.

The lock assembly 10 consists of a housing 22 having a block 24 at one end thereof. The block 24 is provided with a bore 26 and, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, is of a width and depth equal to the inner dimensions of the channel 12 so as to fit snugly therein.

An L-shaped portion 28 of housing 22 has a transverse leg 30 and a longitudinal leg 32. The transverse leg 30 is connected to block 24 by means of a reduced width section 34. The surface 36 of block 24 perpendicular to the axis of bore 26 lies in the same plane as the surface 38 of L-shaped portion 28, as is best seen in Figure 6. The corresponding surface 40 of reduced width section 34 is spaced downwardly from this common plane to define a transverse slot 42 in the housing.

Referring to Figure 1, the width of the longitudinal leg 32 of L-shaped section 28 is equal to the width of the block 24 so that this portion of the L-shaped section fits snugly in the channel 12. The inner end of longitudinal leg 32 of L-shaped section 28 has a reduced width portion 44 which is in the same plane as the surface 46 of reduced width section 34, also best seen in Figure 1. A bore 48 extends through this reduced width section 34 parallel to bore 26 in block 24.

Referring to Figure 3, a cylinder 50 is received within the bore 26 in block 24. Cylinder 50 is provided with a head 51 having a flange 52 extending out over the edge of a hole 54 in wall 55 of channel 12. Cylinder 50 is maintained in position by means of a set screw 56 received in a threaded hole 58 in the side 59 of block 24. When the cylinder is thus locked into position the lock assembly 10 is fixed with respect to the channel 12. End 61 of cylinder 50 extends into a recess 63 provided in block 24 and reduced width section 34, as is best seen in Figures 2 and 3. Recess 63 extends past the periphery of bore 48 in reduced width section 34 at 65, and is extended in an arcuate manner at 67, as seen in Figure 2.

A barrel is rotatably mounted within a bore 62 in cylinder 50 and is provided with a head 64 which abuts against the head of cylinder 50. The bore 62 in cylinder 50 is to the left of the axis of cylinder 50, as may be seen in Figure 3.

A circular plate 66 is fastened to the upper end of barrel 60 (as seen in Figure 3) by means of screws 68 and 70. The under surface of plate 66 engages a raised boss Figure 2 is a vertical elevation of the lock and channel member of Figure 1 taken from the top of Figure l, the lock being depicted as laying on its side;

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the lock of Figures 1 and 2 taken upon the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is another vertical section of thelock of Figures l and 2 taken on the line 4--4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the lock of Figures 1 and 2 taken upon the line 5-5 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is an exploded view of the lock assembly. Referring to the figures of the drawing,.there is shown 71 on end 61 of cylinder 50. Plate 66 is eccentrically mounted with respect to barrel 6t) and is provided with. a stop finger 72 extending radially outward therefrom. Because plate 66 rests on boss 71. finger '72 is spaced above end 61 of cylinder 50. Stop finger 72 engages an upstanding lug 74 to limit counterclockwise rotation of the barrel 60 as seen in Figure 2. Lug 74 is formed integral with cylinder 50. A suitable key slot 76 is provided in plate 72 and barrel 60.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3, a cylindrical button 78 is slidably received within bore 48 in reduced width section 34 of housing 22. Cylindrical button 78 has a bore 80 in the bottom thereof, as is best seen in Figure 3, and a coil spring 82 has one end engaged in this bore with the other end bearing against the inside of Wall 55 of channel 12 to urge button 78 upwardly. The upper end of cated generally at 86 has one leg 88 thereof mounted;

over-a reduced diameter portion 90 of button 78. The

reduced diameter portion 90 passes through an aperture 92 in leg 88 and is secured thereto in any suitable man ner, such as by swaging. Latch member 86 is provided.

with. a further leg 94 at right. angles to leg 88 andv leg 94 extends into a recess 96 formed by the reduced width section 34 between block 24 and leg 38 of L-shaped portion 28, as is best seen in Figures 2 and 6. The end member 86 striking the surface at of reduced width por tion 34. When the lock assembly is in this position the curved endv 98 of latch member 86, extends into the recess 96 between block 24 and L-shaped-mernber 28 as.

shown inFigures 2 and 5.

An aperture M2 is provided in wall 103 of channel 12 opposite the rounded end of latch member 86. A tongue N 8 is provided on wall N3 of channel 12 and this tongue is adapted to mate with a groove in a sta-' tionary member (not shown) which channel 12 abuts in the closed position of the door 14. A tongue 106 having an aperture N8 is shown in broken lines in Figure 5. In the closed and latched position of the door the rounded end. 98 of latch member 86 extends through aperture 188 in tongue 106 to lock the door 14. The door may be opened by depressing button '78 to move rounded end 98 of latch member 88 out of aperture 188 to permit the door 14 to be moved to the right in Figure 5.

The operation of this lock is as follows. Referring to Figure 5, the lock assembly lit is shown in its at rest and latched position wherein the rounded end 98 of latch member 86 is urged into the recess 96 between the block 24 and L-shaped member 28. When the door 1 is slid to the left the tongue 186 enters hole 182 in wall 183 of channel 12 and engages the rounded surface 98 of latch member 86. Because this surface is rounded this earns the latch member downwardly in Figure depressing button 78 against the reaction of spring 82. When tongue 106 has entered hole 162 sufficiently to position aperture 108 over leg 94 of latch member 86, the rounded end 98 of this latch member springs through aperture 108 to secure the lock assembly to the tongue lilo and thus to the stationary member which the sliding door abuts. The lock is released by depressing button 78 thereby withdrawing rounded end 98 of latch member 86 from tongue 106' to permit door 14 to be moved to the right in Figure 5.

It may at times be desirable to render the lock assembly inoperative so as to prevent children from possibly locking themselves in the chamber which the sliding door encloses. In order to effect this, button 78 is depressed and a suitable key is inserted into key slot 76 in barrel 60 and the barrel rotated in a clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 2. By reason of the eccentricity of plate 66 with respect to barrel 60 its edge 109 enters slot 100 in button 78 to lock the button in a depressed position. The key may then be withdrawn from key slot 76 and the button will remain depressed and latch member 86 will remain withdrawn from opening 102 so that the sliding door may be opened and closed without actuation of the lock assembly. When the lock is in this position it is impossible to latch the door without the key being inserted into barrel 60 to rotate plate 66 out of locking engagement with slot 100. As a consequence children cannot place the lock assembly in operative condition.

All parts of the lock with the exception of latch member 86' may be formed of a non-corrodingmetal such as aluminum. Latch member 86 may be formed of a somewhat harder non-corroding material such as stainless steel so that the entire lock assembly is non-corroding.

" assumes It will. be apparent from the foregoing that the lock. provided herein is extremely simple in operation, utilizing but a single button, is economical to manufacture, rugged in design, and is possessed of a long life. The simplicity of the lock renders it capable of installation by even unskilled labor.

The invention may be embodied in other specific form-s without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not re- .strictivc, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims ratherthan by the foregoing description and all changes which come within the meaning and range'of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United tates Letters Patent is:

1. A lock. comprising, a housing, a button slidably mounted in said housing, a latch member secured to said button and slidable therewith into a latched and unlatched position, spring means urging said button and latch member into a. latched position, a cylinder mounted in said housing, a barrel rotatably mounted in said cylinder, means on said barrel for locking said button and latch member in an unlatched position, said lock being mounted in a channel member having a front and a back wall, said cylinder extending through one of said Walls, and said button extending through the other of said walls.

2. A lock comprising a housing, a button slidably mounted in said housing, a latch member secured to said button and slidable therewith into a latched and unlatc-hed position, spring means urging said button and latch member into a latched position, means rotatably mounted in, said housing for locking said button and:

latch. member in an unlatched position, said housing including a block in which said last named means is mounted and a reduced width portion attached to said block, and said button being mounted in said reduced width portion and having an axis of sliding movement parallel to the axis of' rotation of said rotatably mounted means.

3. A lock as set out in claim 2 wherein said housing includes a further portion attached to said reduced width portion and having a greater width than said reduced width portion, said block and said further portion having surfaces in a common plane and said reduced width portion having a surface in a parallel but spaced plane, said surfaces of said block and further portion being joined to said surface of said reduced width portion by walls which define a slot.

4. A lock as set out in claim 3 wherein said button. is attached'to said latch member in said slot and said spring means is located in said slot.

5. A lock as set out in claim 4 wherein said latch member comprises an L-shaped member having one leg. attached to one end of said button in said slot, and having a second leg normal to said first leg and movable along another surface of said reduced width portion.

6. A lock asset out in claim 5 wherein said another surface of said reduced width portion is parallel to but spaced from other surfaces of said block and further portion, said other surfaces of said block and further portion lying in the same plane which is normal to the plane in which the first mentioned surfaces of said block and further portion lie, said other surfaces of said block and said further portion being joined to said another surface of said reduced width portion by walls which define a slot normal to said first named slot, said second leg. of said latch member sliding in said last named slot.

7. A lock comprising a housing, a button slidably mounted in said housing, an L-shaped latch member secured to said button and slidable therewith into a latched and unlatched position, said housing being provided with an L-shaped recess, said latch member being slidable' within the L-shaped recess in said housing, spring means urging saidbutton and latch member into a latched posi- 5. tion, a cylinder mounted in said housing, a barrel rotatably mounted in said cylinder, and means on said barrel engaging means on said button for locking said button and latch member in an unlatched position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,159,973 Marhenke Nov. 9, 1915 6 Conley May 2, 1916 Geery Sept. 12, 1916 Andrews Mar. 18, 1924 Devereaux Aug. 26, 1924 Duncan Sept. 2, 1924 Parker .Aug. 17, 1943 Burdick Feb. 24, 1953 

